I. Field
Embodiments of the invention relates generally to content delivery in a data network, and more particularly, to methods and apparatus for content delivery to a mobile device operating in a changing network environment.
II. Description of the Related Art
The distribution of content (data) to a large number of terminals (subscribers) in a wireless network is a complicated problem. For example, wireless networks cover large geographic regions, and the type of network coverage and/or available services may be different for each region. Therefore, delivering content to mobile devices that are moving from region to region requires an efficient delivery system that conserves network resources while providing device users with the content they desire.
Typically, wireless data networks are able to support the transmission of content under one or more communication technologies. For example, many wireless networks are capable of transmitting information using Single Carrier (1×) Radio Transmission Technology (CDMA2000 1×). Using this technology, data and other information may be transmitted over a data network to provide a selected level of service and/or quality. For example, the data transmission rates supported by this technology may be used to deliver text and/or low quality images. Generally, lower transmission rates support lower quality of service (QoS) levels. Increasingly, many wireless networks are being upgraded to operate using Single Carrier (1×) Evolution Data Optimized (CDMA2000 1×EV-DO) technology. Under this technology, transmissions over the network may occur at rates two to three times that of CDMA2000 1×.
As a result of the increased transmission rates, it is possible to deliver content having a higher level of quality. For example, CDMA2000 1× EV-DO networks are able to transmit video content with far greater quality than CDMA2000 1× networks. As a result, CDMA2000 1× EV-DO networks are able to provide the same content with greater resolution and therefore higher quality-of-service than CDMA2000 1× networks.
Due to a variety of circumstances, a wireless network that covers a large geographic region may have portions of the network that operate using either or both technologies. This situation may result in “holes”, or discontinuities in the coverage that a particular wireless network provides. For example, a mobile terminal may receive content transmitted using CDMA 2000 1× EV-DO, but then move to another geographic region where the network only supports CDMA 2000 1×. As a result, the terminal may experience coverage holes that may prevent the reception of content having a desired quality level. For instance, the terminal may be in the process of receiving high quality content transmitted using CDMA2000 1× EV-DO, and then after moving into a different geographic region, the terminal is handed-off to a network that operates using CDMA2000 1×. In the new network environment, the terminal may be unable to receive the content with the desired quality level because it would be very inefficient to attempt to transmit high quality content using the slower transmission rate. Thus, conventional systems may be unable to compensate for holes in network cover that may prevent content having a desired quality level from being received at a mobile terminal as it moves through various geographic regions.
Therefore, what is needed is a system that allows content having a desired quality level to be delivered to a mobile device, while the device moves through various geographic regions where the network supports one or more transmission technologies. For example, the system should allow the device to receive the quality of content it desires as the device is handed off between data networks supporting different data transmission technologies. The system should also operate to automatically select content to download to a device, where the selected content has a particular quality level based on an existing network connection with the device.